Gauge wheel with improved wear characteristics

Abstract

A gauge wheel including a center portion extending outwardly from the center of the wheel, and a rim portion positioned at an outer circumference of the wheel and having an inner surface and an outer surface at the outer side of the wheel with the rim portion having an outer circumferential surface extending between the inner surface and the outer surface of the wheel and extending along the outer circumference of the wheel. The wheel including a lip portion for contacting the disk, with the lip portion being on the inner side of the gauge wheel and extending from the inner surface of the rim portion, the lip portion tapering to a thin edge away from the inner surface. A plurality of lugs may be formed on the outer circumferential surface with the lugs being separated by valleys to cause the ground surface to rotate the wheel.

I claim: 
     
       1. A crop planter comprising:
 a frame; 
 a disk mounted on the frame, the disk being rotatably mounted on the frame, the disk having a pair of opposite side surfaces; and 
 a gauge wheel controlling a depth of ground penetration for a disk of a crop planter, the gauge wheel having an inner side positioned toward the disk and an outer side positioned away from the disk, the gauge wheel comprising: 
 a center portion extending outwardly from the center of the wheel; 
 a rim portion positioned at an outer circumference of the wheel, the rim portion having an inner surface and an outer surface at the outer side of the wheel, the rim portion having an outer circumferential surface extending between the inner surface and the outer surface of the wheel and extending along the outer circumference of the wheel; and 
 a lip portion contacting at least a portion of a side of the disk, the lip portion being on the inner side of the gauge wheel and extending from the inner surface of the rim portion, the lip portion tapering to a thin edge away from the inner surface; 
 wherein a plurality of lugs are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the rim portion with the lugs being separated by valleys to cause the ground surface to rotate the wheel; 
 wherein the rim portion and the lip portion of the wheel are formed of a rigid material; 
 wherein at least one of the lugs extends continuously from the outer surface of the rim portion to the inner surface of the rim portion; and 
 wherein at least one of the valleys extends continuously from the outer surface of the rim portion to the inner surface of the rim portion.